Mite Control of Fraser Fir With Aldicarb, South Windsor, Connecticut, 1977-78

Abstract

Abstract Spider mite populations build up in the spring and fall causing serious damage to plantations of Fraser fir and greatly reducing their value as Christmas trees. Granular aldicarb (Temik 10G) was applied on Apr 19'77 in single auger holes 4 in deep at the drip line of Fraser fir 3 to 6 ft tall, spaced at 5 ft × 6 ft. The soil type was a Narragansett silt loam. The holes were closed with a kick of the heel. The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block with 20 trees per plot and four replicates. Un-treated border rows separated the plots. On June 29’77 samples of 50 twigs of current season's growth were taken from each plot and preserved in 70% ethanol for later counting of spider mites. Some plots were retreated with aldicarb on Apr 12×78 on trees 4 to 7 ft tall. On Sept 6×78 we evaluated the percentage infestation of each tree.